Charlotte Border Patrol Relief Fund Went Unused Due To Documentation Requirement

A $100,000 emergency relief fund created by the city of Charlotte after a major U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) crackdown was never used because applicants had to prove they were legally documented residents, according to Crisis Assistance Ministry.

Under U.S. federal law, non-citizens 18 or older are required to carry proof of their legal immigration status at all times, according to the Congressional Research Service.

The fund was created after “Operation Charlotte’s Web,” a 2025 immigration enforcement operation that caused fear and economic disruption in undocumented immigrant communities across Charlotte.

Section 264(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) said it includes permanent residents, visa holders, asylum recipients, and others with legal presence. While this requirement is not new, there are growing concerns that it is being enforced more strictly and with fewer safeguards than in the past, according to immigration advocates.

Carol Hardison, CEO of Crisis Assistance Ministry, said that the city required applicants to provide a Social Security number, photo ID, and proof of income. 

“The city required a person to be documented,” Hardison said. “Nobody who was documented sought these dollars.”

Only three households qualified for assistance, and all were helped using private nonprofit funds instead of city money.

Charlotte officials said the unused $100,000 was redirected into other housing assistance programs.

Operation Charlotte’s Web was one of the largest federal enforcement efforts in the state in recent years, including personnel from BORTAC, the Border Patrol Tactical Unit. The elite unit handles high-risk incidents and counterterrorism efforts domestically and abroad. DHS officials said over 1,400 detainers were ignored, dating back years.

ICE and Border Patrol operations have continued. Under direction from DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, fewer officers are masking their faces, according to photos shared on social media on May 26.